


Full of Light

by Juxtepose



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, Jarvis is soft, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-12 03:43:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19220875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juxtepose/pseuds/Juxtepose
Summary: No love, either of them think, could ever be as strong as theirs.





	Full of Light

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [people like you must be the world's loneliest creatures](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15067481) by [avienexjel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/avienexjel/pseuds/avienexjel). 



“ _oh_ , _how_ _beautiful_ _you_ _are_. _how_ _incendiary_ _and_ _full_ _of_ _light_. _promise_ _me_ _you_ _will_ _always_ _be_ _shining_ _like_ _this_.” - an alphabet of longing, Pride, Keaton St. James

 

  When Ana Jarvis was diagnosed, she was not crestfallen. If anything, she was quickly accepting of the inexorableness of her situation. Her husband, however, was less assured of what was to come.

She told Edwin to not be afraid. That they’ve almost lost each other before and that at least they know in advance this time. She told him to not worry. They both know that she will be fine, after all, what is death but the time before you were born? And she is happy to have spent so much of her wonderful life with him. The man that she loves. She is wringing her hands as she speaks, worried for him, but she tells him anyways. That he will be okay without her. That he can be whole all on his own. That he still has people to care for; Howard and Maria and, above all else, Anthony. Their boy.

She tells him to look after them, and himself.

   In the meantime, they love. They have picnics and tea and listen to Benny Goodman on the radio every night and they love love _love_. No love, either of them think, could ever be as strong as theirs.

  When Ana becomes too weak to continue her art classes, Edwin Jarvis sits at her side and makes her apple tart and listens to her talk about the intricacies of the paints, the smooth movements of a brush, they way the incandescent colors seem to call to her, beckoning her ever closer.

    When Ana collapses during one of their afternoon walks together, Edwin, bones creaking, carries her to bed. Little Anthony comes in holding a homemade card and a few flowers obviously plucked from the garden, his big brown eyes full of worry. Ana and Edwin let him stay the night in their bed, and when he’s asleep they stare at each other over his body.

 _You_ _can_ _not_ _leave_ _us_ _alone_. Edwin Jarvis says.

 _I_ _am_ _not_. His wife replies, _I_ _am_ _leaving_ _you_ _with_ _each_ _other_.

     

     In the end, Ana Jarvis passes in the garden. She has been bedridden for days, but refused to stay indoors for another.

   “It is so lovely outside,” she had said. “Won’t you let me feel it?”

      And Edwin has never had the strength to deny his wife.

    He wheeled her out into the yard, which has grown wild in her absence from it, and, upon her insistence, lays her on a blanket in the grass. They play hangman and a butterfly lands on her finger and Edwin has never quite _loved_ , so much, before.

    She feels weak and lays down, they both study the clouds. If Edwin wasn’t watching his wife so closely, he would have missed it. But he was. He stared at Ana as she watched the clouds, the sky reflecting in those pale green eyes, and as she smiled and shut them. She linked her hand with his beside them and he lifted it to his mouth for a gentle kiss. He looked at her, and he could see as her mouth suddenly went slack and her chest rose once, twice, then stopped.

     In the end, Ana passed in the garden. She was beautiful, and radiant, and Edwin does not know how anything so arresting could possibly cease to exist. To just be here one moment then gone in a single breath.

   

     Edwin Jarvis did exactly as his wife said. He does as Mr. and Mrs. Stark asks and takes care of the property. He looks after young Master Anthony and tries to be whatever he needs. A friend, a mentor, a father. Occasionally, a butler.

     He tries his best, and Tony can see that. But he’s not completely whole. Ever since that day Ana Jarvis died, it’s like a light has gone out in him. Like he’s missing a piece of himself. He does not listen to Benny Goodman anymore.

   Even long, long after Edwin Jarvis passes, Tony continues to think about him. What he would think of him now. He thinks about Jarvis, and how he said once; “Regardless of what you think about God, there's really nothing anyone can do about it. You're here, Anthony, and so am I, and that's all there is to it - at least, for us.”

   

    Tony doesn’t know what he thinks about God, anymore. But he wants to hope, that wherever they are, Ana and Edwin are together. Whole again.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first fic on this site, so I really appreciate feedback! This was based off the amazing WinterIron Fanfic ‘people like you must be the world’s loneliest creatures’ by Avienexjel


End file.
